13.6 The final
alif maqs
̇
u ̄rah (^) ـى
ِ
... of a singular noun becomes
ya ̄
(^) ...ـيـ... /...y.../ before dual endings, e.g.
13.7 In the dual, adjectives always agree with the nouns they qualify
in gender and case, e.g.
13.8 The plural
There are two plural types in Arabic:
(a) The sound plural سـاِل ُمَّ َأْلـ َج ْم ُع ل may be compared to the English
external plural or regular plural.
(b) The broken plural تـ ْك ِسـي ِرََّجـ ْمـ ُع ل may be compared to the English
internal or irregular plural. (Broken plurals are explained in
chapter 21.)
13.9 The sound masculine plural ســاِلـ ُمَّ كـ ِر لَّ َجـ ْمـ ُع ْلـ ُمـ َذ of nouns
and adjectives is formed by replacing the case endings of the singular
with the following two suffixes:
ـو َن.ُ ... /...u ̄na/ in the nominative
... ِ ـيـ َن /...ı
- na/ in the accusative and genitive
Singular Dual (nom.) Dual (acc. and gen.)
ُم ْسـ َت ْشـ ًفى ُم ْسـ َت ْشـ َفـ َيا ِن ُم ْسـ َت ْشـ َفـ َيـ ْي ِن
mustasˇfan, hospital mustasˇfaya ̄ni mustasˇfayayni
ل َما ِن َم ِري َضا ِنََّأْلـ ُم َع ل َم َتا ِن َم ِريـ َض َتا ِنََّأْلـ ُم َع
al-mu
allima ̄ni marı
- d
̇
a ̄ni.
al-mu
allimata ̄ni marı
- d
̇
ata ̄ni.
The two teachers (m.) are sick. The two teachers (f.) are sick.
َأْل َكْل َبا ِن َص ِغي َرا ِن َأْلـ َكْل َب َتا ِن َص ِغي َر َتا ِن
al-kalba ̄ni s
̇
ag ̇ı
- ra ̄ni.
al-kalbata ̄ni s
̇
ag ̇ı
- rata ̄ni.
The two dogs (m.) are small. The two dogs (f.) are small.
Sing. (masc.) Plur. nom. (masc.) Plur. acc. and gen. (masc.)
ل ٌمُّم َعـَ ل ُمو َنُّم َعَ لـ ِمي َنُّم َعـَ
mu
allimun, teacher mu
allimu ̄na, teacher mu
allimı
- na, (of) teachers
Number
72